camerapediafandomcom-20200215-history
Semi Kinka
}} The Semi Kinka (セミキンカ) is a Japanese 4.5×6 folder, sold from 1937 by Yamamoto Shashinki Kōsakusho. Rebadged versions were sold by Kuwata as the Semi Mulber and by Riken as the Adler B. Original model Description The original Semi Kinka is an Ikonta copy, with a folding optical finder and no body release. The advance key is at the bottom right, as seen by a photographer holding the camera horizontally. The back is hinged to the left, and the back latch is covered by a leather handle. There are two red windows, protected by horizontally sliding individual covers, normally marked A'' and ''B. The folding struts are engraved KINKA Y.C.W. (certainly for Yamamoto Camera Works). The name SEMI–KINKA is embossed in the leather covering at the front; it is repeated on the back of the early cameras, but this additional marking was abandoned on later examples. All the examples observed so far with the SEMI–KINKA marking on the back have no body release, whereas those with a body release have no such marking. Commercial life The first mention of the Semi Kinka is an advertisement in the November 1937 issue of , reproduced above. Advertisement published in November 1937, p.A51, also reproduced in , p.67. It lists three versions of the camera: * Ceronar Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens, Super Rapid shutter (1–300, self-timer), chrome trim, ; * Ceronar Anastigmat 75/4.5 lens, Felix shutter (25–150), black trim, ; * f/6.3 lens, , available soon (近日提供). The case is offered separately, at ¥4.50. The layout of the red windows is emphasized in the document, though it does not differ much from the usual configurations. Pictures of the two most expensive versions are provided. The original model was also featured as a new product in the January 1938 issue of , reproduced above. p.335. The document gives a succinct description of the camera, and only mentions the two most expensive versions. (The f/6.3 version was perhaps never produced.) Surviving examples Three surviving examples of this model have been observed so far. Two of them have the Ceronar and Felix combination, with black body edges. Example pictured in , item 1075, and example observed in an online auction. The Felix shutter is everset, and is tripped by a lever at the top. Its front plate is inscribed FELIX at the top and Y.C. WORKS at the bottom, and has a logo on the right, with the letters YR inside a circle. The speeds are engraved in the rim in the order T, B, 150, 100, 50, 25, and the aperture scale is at the bottom, from 4.5 to 25. The third example, pictured below, has the Ceronar f/4.5 lens and Super Rapid shutter, with chrome fittings. All the body edges are chrome plated, as well as the viewfinder. There is a small claw on the side of the viewfinder, certainly used to hold it in closed position, which is absent on the black examples. The shutter has T, B, 1–300 speeds and a self-timer lever at the bottom, with a red dot. The shutter plate is silver finished and has TOYO NEW–S at the top and SUPER RAPID at the bottom. Models with body release Documents The Semi Kinka II has an added body release to the left of the viewfinder. It was advertised in the March 1939 issue of with the Ceronar 75/4.5 and Super Rapid combination. The official list of set prices compiled in October 1940 and published in January 1941 has a number of versions: "Semi Kinka I" (¥53), "Semi Kinka II" (¥62), "Semi Kinka III" (¥74), "Semi Kinka IV" (¥85), "Semi Kinka V" (¥88) and "Semi Kinka VI" (¥98), with no further details. , type 3, sections 2, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A and 7A. Except the Semi Kinka I, all these versions are also in a similar price list dated November 1941, where the camera is attributed to Yamamoto Kōsakusho. It is not known if these model names were actually used by Yamamoto. The government inquiry compiled in April 1943 still mentions the Semi Kinka, with a Kadera 75/3.5 three-element lens made by Gojō (the former Kajiro Kōgaku) and an Orient A shutter (T, B, 1–200, self-timer) made by Tōyō Kōki. , item 62, lens item Lb10, shutter item 18-P-23. In this document, Yamamoto (山本) is only cited as the distributor, and the maker of the camera is registered as Konishisha (小西写). , item 62. This is probably the abbreviation of some company name; the closest match is Konishiroku Shashin Kōgyō (predecessor of Konica), but it is highly implausible that this company was involved in the production of the Semi Kinka, and there is perhaps a mistake in the document. Surviving examples Various surviving examples of the Semi Kinka have been observed with a body release. All have a new type of back latch, consisting of a long sliding bar with no leather handle, and they have a chrome viewfinder whose opening is coupled to the release of the folding bed. These cameras are nearly identical to the first model of the Semi Mulber distributed by Kuwata, and to the Adler B distributed by Riken. The camera pictured above has a Kadera Anastigmat 75mm f/4.5 lens (no.3963) in a Lex shutter (T, B, 5–200) made by Mars. Its advance key has a peculiar shape, also found on the early Semi Mulber. Example of the Semi Mulber pictured in , item 1208. For some reason, the red window covers do not have the typical A'' and ''B indications. At least two later examples are known with the Kadera f/3.5 and Orient A combination, and the KINKA Y.C.W. engraving on the folding struts. Example pictured in this page at Dora's blog, and example observed in an online auction. They have the same type of advance key. The lens is engraved Kadera Anastigmat 1:3.5 F=75mm N°xxxx, with lens numbers in the 43xx range. The shutter plate is marked Orient A in fancy letters at the bottom, the 200–1, B, T speed settings are written on the shutter plate in that order, and the aperture scale is above the shutter casing. Finally, the camera pictured above has a Nett Anastigmat 7.5cm f/4.5 lens and a Wing Anchor shutter, giving T, B, 150, 100, 50, 25 speeds. The shutter plate is inscribed WING ANCHOR at the top, MADE IN JAPAN at the bottom, and has an NE logo on the right; the aperture scale is at the bottom. The Nett Anastigmat lens is otherwise unknown, and the Wing Anchor shutter is usually found on Kigawa products; it is not known if this equipment is original on the Semi Kinka. That camera has the A'' and ''B red window covers, and a different type of advance key. It also has a KKS logo engraved on the folding struts, instead of the usual KINKA Y.C.W. The "KKS" initials are often found on products distributed by Kuwata Shōkai; this might indicate that the body were originally made for a Semi Mulber, but was completed as a Semi Kinka for some reason. Eastwestphoto: July 2017- I Bought a Semi Kinka model ll off an ebay seller. The struts are stamped Y.O.W. or possibly Y.C.W. Both sides have a space in the stamp on the strut, reading KINK A. This means to me hand stamping errors. The 1984 K. Sugiyama book is totally incorrect in its various models. The book was ground breaking for 1984 and based on known collections, BUT the internet has revealed its data is totally incomplete. The shutter is a Wing Anchor with a NE logo in a circle made in Japan on bottom, BUT; the f:stops are metric 4.5, 6.3, 9, 12.5, 18, 25, 32. The lens is NETT Anastigmat 1:4.5 F=7.5cm No. 2064 front cell focus 1~10m~ infinity scale. D shaped key wind on the bottom plate. A & B red sliding windows on the back, which doesn't make much sense, since; it is a 120 roll-film 6x4.5cm format only? The shutter cocking is single action long throw linkage shutter-cocking T,B,25~150 th. The word NETT on the lens is a obvious abbreviation of Nettar? So we see there are other surviving examples, still this is a Very RARE example. As to being closely related to a Semi Mulber by Kuwata, I do NOT find this to be true. The pop up vertical viewfinder and its release button mechanism is totally different. Also the bodies are not the same, or the features on the Top deck. The Semi Mulber has T.K. stamped into its struts. Regards, Don Notes Bibliography Original documents * January 1938. "Atarashii kikai to zairyō" (新しい機械と材料, New equipment and machinery). P.172. * . Advertisement by Yamamoto Shashinki Kōsakusho in November 1937, p.A51. * Type 3, sections 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7B. * Item 62. * Type 3, sections 2, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A. Recent sources * Items 68–9. * P.1020. * Item 1075. Links In Japanese: * Semi Kinka (body release, Kadera lens, Orient A shutter) at Dora's blog Kinka, Semi Category: S Kinka, Semi Category: 1937